Cold weather attachment for hard head gear



Sept. 1, 1964 J. v. MILITELLO COLD WEATHER ATTACHMENT FOR HARD HEAD GEAR Filed July 2, 1962 INVENTOR. 38

United States Patent 3,146,462 CQLD WEATHER ATTACHMENT FOR HARD HEAD GEAR James V. Militello, Buffalo, N.Y., assignor to American Afllsgzzfe (10., Bnlfalo, N.Y., a corporation of New Filed July 2, 1962, Ser. No. 206,718 2 (Jlairns. (Cl. 2-3) This invention relates to a cold weather attachment for the hard head gear in the form of hard caps or hats worn by workers to protect the workers heads against injury from accidental blows, such as from falling objects, the function of the attachment being to render the use of the hard head gear comfortable in cold, windy, rainy or unpleasant weather.

The head gear to which the present invention relates is in the form of a hard cap or hard hat which has a hard oval dome with an integral rim projecting horizontally outwardly from the lower part of the dome. The hard caps also include a visor projecting forwardly from its rim a substantially greater distance than the side and back parts of the rim, the presence of this visor distinguishing hard caps from hard hats. With both hard hats and hard caps, this dome or crown is considerably larger than the head of the workman and is supported in spaced relation to the workmans head by a harness, the space between the dome and head of the workman and the construction of the harness being such as to protect the workmans head against accidental blows. This protective space and resilient harness in the hard head gear serves to absorb the shock with reference to the workmans head, movement of the dome being permitted by the space between his head and the dome and this movement being cushioned by the harness. Such hard head gear is, however, uncomfortable in bad weather because the protective space between the hard head gear and the head of the user is open all around the bottom of the hard head gear so that the workmans head is only partly protected from wind, cold and rain which can drive up under the hard head gear.

The attachment of the present invention is in the form of an endless band or sleeve of stretchable material which is stretched to have one annular side embracing the upper side of the rim of the hard head gear and to have its other annular side under the rim and contacting the forehead, sides and back of the workmans head, closing and providing a complete weather seal for the lower end of the space between the dome and the users head.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide such hard head gear protector which when applied to such a hard cap or hard hat has its bottom portion in full contact with the back, sides and also the forehead of the workman so that the space between the hard head gear and the head of the wearer is completely sealed from the weather.

Another object of the invention is to provide such hard head gear in the form of an annular band of stretchable material which is of uniform width lengthwise of its axis so that it can be made rapidly and cheaply.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a protecting band or sleeve in which the band, while of uniform width from edge to edge, does not interfere with the vision of the workman, it being a feature that the extended visor of a hard cap serves to hold the front of the protector away from the eyes of the workman while at the same time having full weather seal contact with the forehead.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a protecting band which can be rapidly applied to and taken off a hard cap and which in particular does not require 3,146,452 Patented Sept. 1, 1964 any special positioning, the protecting band of the present invention, when used with hard caps, having neither a front nor a back but being capable of being applied in any position around the rim of the hard cap.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a protecting band which can be positioned to provide different degrees of protection against the weather. Thus the workman can draw the flexible protecting hand down around and in face contact with his neck and ears if such protection is wanted. If such protection is not wanted the back of the protecting band can he slipped up on the dome. It is also possible to slip portions of the flexible protecting band into the space between the hard head gear and the head of the user, for protection against wind.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a flexible protecting band which is very low in cost and also has little utility apart from its function in conjunction with hard head protectors so that there is little temptation to pilferage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the protector forming the subject of the present invention and showing the same in its unstressed state in the form of a sleeve or tube capable of being drawn down over the dome of the hard head gear and around its rim to function as a bad weather protector attachment.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of head gear in the form of a hard cap on the head of a workman and showing the attachment of the present invention applied to provide merely a weather seal at the bottom of the protective space between the workmans head and the hard cap.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the hard cap and bad weather attachment forming the subject of the present invention and showing the attachment positioned as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally on line 44, FIG. 3, and showing the manner in which the harness is attached to the dome of the hard cap.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and showing the attachment of the present invention drawn down over the ears and neck of the workman.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the attachment of the present invention positioned as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 5, but showing another position of the attachment forming the subject of the present invention, portions of the attachment being tucked up into the space between the head of the wearer and the hard cap.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 6, but showing the attachment of the present invention positioned as shown in FIG. 7.

The bad weather attachment of the present invention is adapted for use with a conventional hard head gear comprising a shell 10 supported by means of a harness 11 on the head 12 of a workman so as to provide a protective space 13 of substantial extent between the shell and the workmans head. The shell 10 can be made of fiberglass reinforced plastic or other rigid material and is shown as comprising an oval dome or crown 15 having an integral rim 16 which forms a'rouncling continuation of the bottom of the dome 15 and projects horizontally outwardly therefrom. The head gear is illustrated as being in the form of a hard cap, having for the protection of the eyes and face of the workman, the front part of this rim 16 extended to provide an integral visor 18 which projects outwardly from the dome a substantially greater distance than the side and back parts of the rim. While a hard cap is illustrated, it will be appreciated that features of the invention are applicable to hard hats, that is, hard head gear as illustrated but unprovided with the visor 18.

The rim 16, 18 is in spaced relation to the back, sides and forehead of the head of the workman, the hard cap thereby atfording only partial weather protection to the user since wind and rain in bad weather can drive up under the hard hat and around the users head.

The harness 11 can be of many forms, a conventional harness being illustrated. This harness can be of leather, webbing or other flexible material but is shown as comprising a circular band 20 of flexible inorganic plastic surrounding a pad 21 of soft foam or sponge-like inorganic plastic and both the band 20 and the pad 21 being encased in a cover or facing 22 of non-absorbent flexible material which contacts the head 12 of the workman in supporting the shell 10. To this head band assemblage are secured, as by rivets 23, four risers 24 the upper ends of which are tied together to form an open crown around the top of the head of the workman and adapted to contact his head in the event of a downward accidental blow upon the hard hat shell 10. These risers 24 are preferably made of a flexible inorganic plastic and are of upwardly diminishing rounding form in outline and are provided at the upper ends with slots 25 so that a tie string or lace 26 can be threaded through these slots of the several risers and drawn together so as to hold these risers in crown form.

The harness is completed by a series of vertical connectors 28 each preferably being made of sheet inorganic plastic secured to the head band assemblage 2t), 21, 22 by the rivets 23 and projecting upwardly therefrom and being secured to the innerside face of the dome of the hard cap by rivets 29.

The bad weather attachment of the present invention comprises a tubular band or sleeve 39 of stretchable material having a top annular edge or side 31 and a bottom annular edge or side 32. This tubular band can be made of any stretchable springy material but is desirably made from a piece of stretchable knit tubing one end of which is folded inside the other and the registering edges stitched together with overcasting 33. The overcasting 33 can confine a band 35 in or around the edge 31 of the tubular band, this band preferably being somewhat elastic but serving principally to restrict the size of the opening of the band at its edge 31 so as to prevent the band from being pulled down over the rim of the hard head gear, in applying the band to the head gear as hereinafter described.

The attachment can be made of different fibers or different combinations of fibers depending upon the service desired. Thus an attachment knitted from nylon throughout would be flame proof. An attachment knitted from orlon would have greater warmth but would burn. Wool is relatively flame proof and warm but presents shrinkage difliculties. Cotton fibers with elastic thread woven into the cuff 34 would be inexpensive but not provide a great deal of thermal insulation.

An important feature of the invention is that the tubular band or sleeve 30 can be of uniform width in an axial direction, or from edge 31 to edge 32, so that it can be knitted as a continuous tube, which is then cut to the required lengths.

An important feature of the invention resides in obtaining full contact of the attachment with the back, sides, and forehead of the head of the user. Thus, in applying the protector it is drawn downwardly around the dome 15 of the hard cap. In so drawing the protector down around the rim 16, 18 of the hat it is stretched still further. When the edge 32 of the protector passes below the rim 16 it contracts so as to engage with the full perimeter of the users head, namely, the forehead, sides and neck of his head as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 8. This feature is important since the stretch 36 of material between the edge 32 and the edge of the rim 16 provides a flexible barrier wall across the entire bottom of the open space between the hard cap or hat and the head of the user. This stretch 36 can take different forms, as illustrated, depending on whether it is being fitted to a hard hat or to a hard cap, as illustrated, having the visor 18. The presence of this visor stretches the stretch 38 to a greater degree at the front of the hard cap than at the sides and rear, thereby to draw this front part into generally planar form as illustrated at 38 in FIGS. 3, 6 and 8 so as not to interfere with the users vision.

When the workman places the hard cap on his head with the cold weather attachment in place, the edge 32 of the attachment will contact his head its entire length and form a complete weather seal around the entire open bottom of the space 13 between his head and the hard cap. The full contact between the attachment and the back, sides and forehead of the user is illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 and it will be noted that in this condition of the protecting band the vision of the workman is not interferred with because the visor 18 forms a forward projection of the rim of the hard cap thereby to provide a greater stretch in the front part of the protecting band and to provide a generally planar horizontal stretch 38 above the eyes of the visor which does not sag to interfere with his View. Accordingly, even though the attachment is in the form of a tube band of uniform axial width, that is, from edge 31 to edge 32, and can be applied to the hard head gear in any rotative position as contrasted with having to fit a front part of the attachment to the front part of the hard head gear, full contact of the attachment all around the head of the workman is insured without interfering with his vision.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the attachment can also be drawn down to protect the neck and ears of the wearer. This is done by the simple expedient of pulling the back part of the band downwardly to cover the workmans neck and ears, the upper edge of the band being displaced further down on the shell 19 so as to embrace only the rim 16, 18 thereof.

If less weather protection is desired, the workman can pull the attachment downwardly to the position illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 and then, instead of drawing the excess depending material around his ears and neck, can tuck the same upwardly between the harness and the shell as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8.

It will be seen that the invention can also be applied to hard hats which do not have the visor 18. In such use, the front of the protecting band can be slipped up the front of the hard hat to compensate for the lack of visor 18 and still provide the generally planar stretch 38 over the eyes of the wearer.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a very simple tubular band or sleeve made of stretchable springy material which can be drawn downwardly over the dome and rim of hard head gear to provide an annular section below the rim which c0ntacts all around the head of the user so as to seal off the space between his head and the hard head gear while at the same time not interfering with his vision. It can be further seen that the attachment of the present invention can be moved to give further weather protection to the ears and neck of the user or can have portions tucked up into the head gear all to suit the comfort of the workman to the particular conditions encountered.

I claim:

1. In safety head gear having a hard shell comprising an oval dome with an integral rim projecting horizontally outwardly from the lower part of the oval dome, a generally horizontal endless head band arranged in spaced relation inwardly from said rim and adapted to fit the forehead, sides and back of a users head, and flexible harness means connecting said hard shell with said head band and adapted to provide a space between all parts of said oval dome and the crown of the users head to protect the users head from accidental blows against the hard shell, the space between said rim and head band permitting wind to blow up through said space between all parts of the oval dome and the crown of the users head with resulting discomfort to the user; the combination therewith of a removable slipover Weather seal for said space between the rim and head band, consisting exclusively of a generally horizontal endless weather seal band of elastic stretchable material, which in its unstressed form is tubular and having, when applied to the hard shell on the users head, an upper inner annular face fitting around and frictionally embracing the exterior of said hard shell above said edge and providing the sole connection between said weather seal band and hard shell, and said weather seal band also having, when applied to the hard shell on the users head, its lower edge adapted to engage the forehead, sides and back of the users head to weather seal said space between said rim and head band and prevent the wind from so blowing up through said space between all parts of the oval dome and the crown of the users head, such frictional embrace of the hard shell by the weather seal band forming the sole connection therebetween and permitting said weather seal band to be slipped off from and completely disconnected from the hard shell and also to be slipped up and down to different positions on said hard shell to provide different degrees of protection of the ears and head of the user.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said weather seal band in its unstressed form is of substantially uniform width between circular substantially parallel edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 703,606 McLoughlin July 1, 1902 805,052 Brooks Nov. 21, 1905 2,035,384 Hinchliif Mar. 24, 1936 2,230,805 Levy Feb. 4, 1941 2,566,635 Reddy Sept. 4, 1951 2,941,209 Schoener June 21, 1960 2,962,885 Knohl Dec. 6, 1960 3,046,560 DeGrazia July 31, 1962 3,100,896 Khanbegian Aug. 20, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,616 France June 27, 1903 (1st addition of Patent No. 329,068) 2,171 Great Britain Feb. 15, 1886 OTHER REFERENCES Gruning (German Printed Application), 1,098,467, Feb. 2, 1961. 

1. IN SAFETY HEAD GEAR HAVING A HARD SHELL COMPRISING AN OVAL DOME WITH AN INTEGRAL RIM PROJECTING HORIZONTALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE LOWER PART OF THE OVAL DOME, A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL ENDLESS HEAD BAND ARRANGED IN SPACED RELATION INWARDLY FROM SAID RIM AND ADAPTED TO FIT THE FOREHEAD, SIDES AND BACK OF A USER''S HEAD, AND FLEXIBLE HARNESS MEANS CONNECTING SAID HARD SHELL WITH SAID HEAD BAND AND ADAPTED TO PROVIDE A SPACE BETWEEN ALL PARTS OF SAID OVAL DOME AND THE CROWN OF THE USER''S HEAD TO PROTECT THE USER''S HEAD FROM ACCIDENTAL BLOWS AGAINST THE HARD SHELL, THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID RIM AND HEAD BAND PERMITTING WIND TO BLOW UP THROUGH SAID SPACE BETWEEN ALL PARTS OF THE OVAL DOME AND THE CROWN OF THE USER''S HEAD WITH RESULTING DISCOMFORT TO THE USER; THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF A REMOVABLE SLIPOVER WEATHER SEAL FOR SAID SPACE BETWEEN THE RIM AND HEAD BAND, CONSISTING EXCLUSIVELY OF A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL ENDLESS WEATHER SEAL BAND OF ELASTIC STRETCHABLE MATERIAL, WHICH IN ITS UNSTRESSED FORM IS TUBULAR AND HAVING, WHEN APPLIED TO THE HARD SHELL ON THE USER''S HEAD, AN UPPER INNER ANNULAR FACE FITTING AROUND AND FRICTIONALLY EMBRACING THE EXTERIOR OF SAID HARD SHELL ABOVE SAID EDGE AND PROVIDING THE SOLE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID WEATHER SEAL BAND AND HARD SHELL, AND SAID WEATHER SEAL BAND ALSO HAVING, WHEN APPLIED TO THE HARD SHELL ON THE USER''S HEAD, ITS LOWER EDGE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE FOREHEAD, SIDES AND BACK OF THE USER''S HEAD TO WEATHER SEAL SAID SPACE BETWEEN SAID RIM AND HEAD BAND AND PREVENT THE WIND FROM SO BLOWING UP THROUGH SAID SPACE BETWEEN ALL PARTS OF THE OVAL DOME AND THE CROWN OF THE USER''S HEAD, SUCH FRICTIONAL EMBRACE OF THE HARD SHELL BY THE WEATHER SEAL BAND FORMING THE SOLE CONNECTION THEREBETWEEN AND PERMITTING SAID WEATHER SEAL BAND TO BE SLIPPED OFF FROM AND COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED FROM THE HARD SHELL AND ALSO TO BE SLIPPED UP AND DOWN TO DIFFERENT POSITIONS ON SAID HARD SHELL TO PROVIDE DIFFERENT DEGREES OF PROTECTION OF THE EARS AND HEAD OF THE USER. 